Date with Haruka Week Chapter 7, an uta no prince-sama fanfic

As soon as Nanami Haruka went out of a private plane, she was greeted by a strong cool wind. Her hands immediately went to the hem of her pure white dress, preventing her modesty to be shown. But she was too late on grabbing her sun hat, for it was already blown by the wind. She gasped, reaching out for it but her arms were too short. Haruka watched helplessly as the wind took her hat, she was already planning to apologize to Tomo-chan when she returns back to Tokyo when she saw a tanned hand caught it. Golden eyes brighten, she was about to shout her thanks when she noticed whose hand it was. A smile decorated her lips; she slowly went down from the stairs.

At the end of the stairs, a handsome tanned brunette stood. He was wore an open green rob, showing his lean body and the purple tattoo on his right chest. He was wearing a black pants, a white cloth was tied around his waist that served as a belt. On his wrist were golden bangles; his shoes were unique looking slippers. In other words, he looked like what he looked the first time he and Haruka met in his real form.

Once Haruka was three steps close to the ground, he bowed and returned her hat. Haruka blushed as she said her thank you, taking the hat from him shyly.

"Welcome to Agnapolis," Aijima Cecil smiled, looking up to meet her eyes

Haruka smiled, placing her hat back to her head. She turned around and directed her attention to her surroundings. The place was filled with greenery, everywhere she looked, trees and flowers greeted her. It looked like its forestry was undisturbed by mankind, it seemed so beautiful.

"Wow, Cecil-san!" She clasped her hands together, eyes glittering in excitement. "So this is what Agnapolis looks like!"

The brunet puffed his chest proudly, Haruka couldn't help but chuckle on how childish but adorable he looked like. She turned her body to the side, admiring every detail in this place when suddenly her eyes came to a halt. Is… this what she thought it was? This is the first time Haruka travelled out of Japan, but is it normal for airports in other country to have a giganticcastle in front of it?!

"What… what is that, Cecil-san?"

Emerald eyes blinked, he turned around and gave a look of complete puzzlement. He returned his attention back to Haruka, eyebrows were arched.

"What's what?" Haruka pointed at the great structure behind him and the confusion on his face changed to… boredom? "My house."

Your house?! Haruka echoed internally in disbelief. Her gaze returned back to the castle in front of her, it took her a moment to realize that they were not inside an airport but a private runway. She completely forgot that Cecil is a prince; of course this kind of things was a norm for him!

If Haruka were to describe the castle, it was like the one she watched in Disney's Aladdin, you know, the ones with the amusingly circular but pointy roof? But instead of having a hole in the wall that serves as the windows and doors, they had actual ones. True, they followed the tradition but you cannot deny the fact that time has advanced and so should they.

"Follow me." Cecil said before turning around and going straight inside of his 'house'. Haruka followed him without any protest.

As soon they entered the place, Haruka couldn't help but admire the place. It… it was so beautiful! If the outside was great, the inside was absolutely glittering! Literally! The walls were embedded with different shining gems; the floor had a tile combination of gold, silver, and bronze. There were also fascinating vases everywhere; it had different designs that probably meant something in Agnapolis. The placed exhibited Agnapolis's riches, Haruka guessed that this place must be a hundred years old, passed down from generation to generation.

Her hypothesis was proven correct when she saw a number of paintings of people displayed on the wall. There was a golden name plate underneath each painting, Haruka was sure they were Cecil's ancestors. Soon, they were close to the end of the hall. Haruka saw the last painting; it was a family portrait of a young Cecil and his parents.

"Awwwww!" Haruka squealed. "You look so adorable!"

Cecil stopped walking; he looked away with a blush on his face. Haruka thought his reaction was amusing, she returned her gaze back to the painting and stared at Cecil's parents. Haruka got to say; Cecil got his sharp features from his father but got his kind emerald eyes from her mother. Haruka paused, for some reason… Cecil's mother attracted her attention. She seemed… similar with someone. That red flowing hair… that kind warm smile… isn't she similar with-?

"Haruka…" Cecil cleared his throat, face still flustered. "Let us go?"

Haruka took one more glance at her face before nodding, following Cecil out of the hallway.

Once they were out, Haruka saw a series of brown wooden doors instead of paintings. She wondered how big this place is, if Cecil weren't here to guide her she was sure that she would already be lost by now! Cecil continued walking and stopped in front of the door, the 5th one after the entrance.

"This will be your room, your things have been placed already." He opened the door, revealing a room filled with white. Haruka went inside the room, eyes wide as she admired the white furniture inside. It was true; she found her baggage neatly placed inside the room. Haruka expected it… to be different. An Agna-room or something? Maybe because she's in a foreign land, she doesn't know. But this room was like her room back when she was still studying in Saotome. No, it was almost exact if this room had a black grand piano inside.

"I thought you would have preferred a room similar to yours…" Cecil blushed. "But the only room you lived in that I know was when you were in the dorm…"

Haruka was about to ask how he even knew what her old room looked like when she remembered, it was during the time Cecil was still cursed, in other words, he was still in Kuppuru form. She has to compliment him for his great memory, though it would have been better if…

"Oh, I'm sorry that I didn't order a grand piano." Bull's eye! "I thought you would be too consumed on playing it you'll start composing instead of having a vacation with me."

Haruka laughed nervously, turning away with a serious look as she thought, Cecil knows me too well! She went to the bed and sat on it, hand caressing the white soft sheets. It was as soft as the one back then, this somehow made her feel nostalgic. Everything was like back then, the wall, the creamy sofa just in front of the TV, even the fluffy white carpet Kuppuru used to roll over on. She let her body fell on the bed, releasing a soft sigh on how comfortable it felt. Soon, Cecil entered the room and joined her on the bed.

"Wait a minute," Haruka blinked at the realization. "You said order."

"Yes?" Cecil stifled a yawn; it seemed the comfortable bed got him, too.

She sat up from the bed, making it creak and shook a little. "So you even redesigned a room just for me? Cecil-san, you didn't have to—"

Haruka was stopped mid-sentence when Cecil suddenly pulled her back on the bed, trapping her between his arms. Haruka gasped, golden eyes stared at the playful emeralds that were 'smiling' at her.

"But Haruka, this is just nothing." He whispered to her ear, sending shivers to Haruka's spine. "Compared to how you broke the curse for me, this meant nothing." Haruka opened her mouth to protest, but was stopped when she felt a soft pair of lips crashing against hers. She blushed as bright as her head, he pulled away and chuckled. "And don't tell me I didn't have to, because I needed to. I would do everything for you, my Princess."

The rosette couldn't think of anything sensible to say, her mind just went hay wired. Cecil smiled at the cute face she was made, making her feel even more embarrassed with herself.

Mou! Haruka grumbled in her mind. Sometimes, Cecil can be worse than Jinguuji-san!

And if she thought he couldn't do anything more embarrassing, Cecil proved her wrong! Out-of-nowhere, he adjusted his position on the bed. Haruka asked him what he is planning to do when he buried his face on her chest.

"O-oi!" The rosette's voice got higher by a few octaves, "Cecil-saaaan!"

"Ah… Sorry," He interred his face deeper, making Haruka squeal. "Even if I retained my human form for already five years, my old habits could not help but kicked in."

She remembered. Back then, Kuppuru and Haruka would cuddle each other on her bed, just like what they're doing now. But five years ago, he was a cat! It wasn't weird to cuddle with a cat, but now he's in his real form, his Cecil-form, this is so embarrassing!

"Cecil-san…" Haruka's breath hitched when he moved, now his face was on the curve of her neck. He inhaled her scent; she got conscious because she just got out from a tiring plane travel. It was also warm in here because of the tropical weather, she's starting to sweat. "Cecil-san… I—don't do that, I'm sweating—IT'S EMBARASSING!"

The brunette released a soft chuckle, Haruka felt something slick on her skin and she shivered. She had a faint clue what it was.

"CECIL-SAN!" The rosette pushed him away, but his grip around her only tightened. "What- what are you doing—"

"It's frustrating." Cecil made a sound similar to a hiss, she stopped moving. "I could smell their scent on your body. I don't like it!"

Haruka knew who he was referring to: the other members of STARISH. She couldn't help but smile sadly, hands playing on his soft brown hair. Cecil could be childish sometimes; he has the right to because he's the youngest member of STARISH, he's barely eighteen years old.

"This is only the few times I could be alone with you. The short moments I can claim you for my own. So please…" His voice was dripping with sadness. "Let's stay like this…. Just a little more."

The composer could not do anything but nod. She felt Cecil smile on her neck, the grip around her loosened. Soon, he was making soft breathing sounds, he probably fell asleep. Haruka smiled, slowly closing her eyes. She waited for Morpheus to trap her in his world, and Haruka dozed off.

They heard a woman scream, the two immediately woke up. They rubbed their eyes sleepily, wondering where the noise came from. When their vision cleared, they saw a flustered woman standing in front of the room's door. She was probably one of Cecil's servants.

"I am sorry for disturbing you, Prince Cecil." The woman said nervously in Agna-language. "I will tell the king that you are currently… um, busy entertaining your guest."

Cecil yawned before turning to look at the messy-haired rosette. It took him a moment to realize how wrong their position and appearance looked. Haruka had her legs wrapped around Cecil's waist, making her dress hike up, thus revealing her creamy thighs and a sneak of her underwear. While Somewhere along the way, Cecil lost his robe and it was currently half-naked, face once again buried on the rosette's breast. Gold and emerald eyes widen as they pulled away from each other, fixing their selves as to present the little dignity they had left.

"Please excuse me —"

"No, no, it is fine." Cecil replied in the same language, hiding the embarrassment by using a confident tone. "I assume Your Highness is summoning me?"

The servant hesitated at first but nodded. "Um… Yes, Prince Cecil. Your presence is being summoned by the king. But if you want to continue what you're doing I can—"

"I said it is fine." He said in a firm tone, the woman looked surprised. "Tell him I will be there in a matter of minutes. You may now go."

The servant nodded slowly, doing a curtsy before taking her leave. When the door was properly closed, the two released heavy sighs. Cecil shook his head in disbelief while the rosette hid her face under the sheets. That was so embarrassing; they might have thought they were doing something lewd! Why didn't they lock the door in the first place? She wondered if she can still have the courage to go out of this room without receiving those curious looks like back in Japan.

She heard the bed creak, the weight on the mattress lessened. Golden eyes peeked at the tanned man as she went inside of the bathroom to wash his face, she didn't understand a single word they spoke but she guessed that it was something important because the expression on Cecil's face dramatically changed. He looked so… serious.

The prince returned to the room with a towel in hand, patting his face dry. He looked up and saw the worried look on Haruka's face, his eyes immediately softened.

"Is everything alright?"

Cecil sat on the bed, right next to Haruka. He gave her a pat on the head; the rosette closed her eyes and hummed. This looked like the reverse version of what happened years ago, but this time it was Cecil who was patting her.

"Everything's fine. I was just… called by the king."

"Your father?"

He shook his head. "No, my uncle. The one who turned me into a cat."

Haruka looked down, whispering an 'oh'. The brunet looked for his robe, wondering how it got off him in the first place. It turned out; it was on the edge of the bed. He took it and smoothed it out.

"Then where's your parent's? Shouldn't they be ruling the kingdom and not your uncle?"

Cecil froze, stiffly meeting the rosette's gaze. Haruka wondered if she said something wrong. There was a moment of silence; the rustling of his robe as he draped it around his body was the only sound you can hear. Finally, Cecil took a deep breath. Golden eyes peered at him as he answered.

"My mother died a few months after I was born. She returned to Japan to get my older brother, who was in the care of her sister. But her boat sunk before she even reached Japan. And my father…" Cecil exhaled loudly. "He could not get over his grief and fell sick; he died when I was twelve. This was also the time when my relatives plotted on seizing the throne, because my parents were gone and I was just a defenseless child. You can guess what happened next."

Golden eyes widen, she felt guilty for asking such an insensitive question! But there was something he said that caught Haruka's attention. Cecil… has a brother?

"Actually," The glumness in Cecil's tone disappeared, as if he was going to tell her about something important to him. "My mother got here only by accident. She was touring around the world to find the 'magic of music', or so my father told me." He chuckled softly, as if the memory amused him until now. "When the plane she was riding on crashed, she found herself in this country, Agnapolis, and this is where she met my father."

Haruka gasped. Wait a minute… a plane crash? Judging by what Cecil said, the 'best music' part, she was probably a musician like them. And the family portrait Haruka saw back in the hall, she saw what Cecil's mother looked like. That fiery red hair, that cheerful face… Could it be?

"Cecil-san," Haruka spoke, stopping Cecil from his story-telling. "I'm sorry that this may be abrupt, but…"

"Yes?" Cecil smiled, coaxing her to go on.

"What's the name of your mother?"

Emerald eyes widen, as if he didn't understand why Haruka was asking it in the first place. The rosette looked down with a blush on her face; she knew that Cecil must have thought she was weird. After a few seconds, Cecil replied.

"Aijima Kotomi."

Haruka jolted out of the bed, golden eyes were wide as saucers. She turned to face him, her mouth was opened but no words came out of it. Cecil wondered what was wrong, when he realized that Haruka must have known something about mother. He opened his mouth and asked—

"Prince Cecil," Someone knocked in front of the door, a deep gruff voice spoke urgently. "The king is getting impatient… I was ordered to escort you to his chamber."

The two blinked and looked at each other. Just as they were about to talk about something important, they had to be interrupted!

"What did he say?" Haruka couldn't help but ask. Cecil completely forgot that she can't speak Agna-language, that's why she looked like she didn't understand what was going on because really, she doesn't!

"One of the guards came to pick me up. It seems Uncle was tired of waiting for me." He chuckled, "Until then, please wait until I return. You can get ready while I am gone, when I'm back let me tour you around the city."

Golden eyes glittered excitedly, nodding with a cheerful 'nn!'. Cecil smiled before standing up; he headed towards the door and opened it. Waiting for him was indeed one of the castle's guards, Haruka could tell because of what he was wearing. You know, the metal armor and the long fancy sword kind of get-up? Now that she thinks of it, how Cecil guessed that it was a guard who came to pick him up was beyond her comprehension. But maybe he judged it by the gender of his voice…

The Arabian prince gave her one long glance before following the guard out of the room. The guard was kind of enough to close the door, Cecil completely disappeared from her sight. Now that she was alone, Haruka decided to get ready for their activities later. She stood up from the bed and went to get her things beside the closet. She grabbed her toiletries and some clothes before heading towards the bathroom. She switched on the lights before entering the room, she was happy to say that at least the bathroom did not look like the carbon copy of her previous room while she was still studying. The rosette took off her clothes and placed it on the laundry basket; she went straight to the shower and let warm body get cooled by the cold water.

The door opened, Cecil returned with a rather looking rather annoyed. Haruka was on the bed, patiently waiting for him the whole time. She finished taking a bath 10 minutes ago, for she wasn't the type who stays in the bathroom for an eternity. To her surprise, Cecil's reunion with his uncle took longer than expected. Judging by his expression, it seemed it didn't go well.

"Cecil-san?" The rosette called out with a worried tone. "Is everything alright?"

The brunet looked up, forcing a cheerful smile as he shook his head. "Everything's fine." He scanned her appearance before adding, "It seems you're ready. Let's go?"

Haruka hesitated at first but nodded; she went out of bed and followed him out of the room. They did what they do last time: they walked through countless of doors and hallways but this time they went somewhere else. The whole time, they were eerily silent. Cecil seemed distracted, while the rosette said nothing. Something clearly happened; Haruka was worried because Cecil wasn't the type to hide things from her. It was probably family matters, but if it made the usually carefree guy act so stiff then it was probably really serious.

Finally they stopped, Haruka didn't understand how but they arrived at the entrance of the castle. In case you're wondering, the runway was somewhere behind the castle so Haruka went inside the castle through the 'backdoors'.

Now that they're out of the castle, Cecil's mood lightened. He even chuckled softly when they finally set afoot outside its boundaries. It took a moment for him before he realized that Haruka was staring at him the whole time. He laughed once more, but this time it wasn't strained and forced.

"Sorry if I'm acting a little weird back there." Cecil scratched the back of his head. "That place… made me feel suffocated."

"Suffocated?" Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that your home?"

Cecil shook his head. "It isn't my home; I consider it as a house. My home now is in Tokyo, where you and everyone live."

Haruka nodded. She understood what the prince meant. She remembered back when she was still in elementary when her teacher asked this simple question: what's the difference of a 'house' and a 'home'? Everyone answered 'It's the same, sensei.' Their teacher shook her head and told them it was wrong, she explained that a 'house' is only a structure where people live. But 'home' is a place where you feel safe and comfortable; it is the second 'heart' of a person. Of course back when they were just little children, their teacher made no sense. But now, Haruka can differentiate the two like how she knows which melody suits a song.

"Let's forget about that place shall we?" Cecil smiled cheerfully; it was overwhelming how casual he was compared to how he acted back there. "Now tell me, Haruka. Where do you want to visit first?"

Agnapolis is a very small country with no note-worthy sightseeing place to visit, which was somehow sad for the composer. But, this country was specially known for the creating the best-quality musical instruments in the world. Knowing what kind of girl Nanami Haruka is, you can guess where they first went.

"Whaaaaaaaa!" Golden eyes were wide as saucers; hands were pressed on the glass that separated the customers from the instruments. If there weren't any boundaries, the rosette would have seized at the item she was staring at.

Haruka turned and faced the brunet behind her, hands were clasped and eyes were sparkling excitedly. Cecil smiled at her, in the inside he was proud that his birth country managed to create something that impressed the girl that he loves. The rosette seized his hand, surprising the prince greatly.

"Cecil-san," Haruka looked as if she could cry. "That piano is so… heart-warming!"

Normal girls wouldn't use that that adjective on a musical instrument, but the rosette wasn't normal in the first place so there's no point on arguing on that.

"Of course," Cecil said proudly. "The instruments here in Agnapolis are blessed by the Muse upon creation. Everything here is…"

The prince didn't even finish his sentence for the person he was talking to disappeared in mid-air. He looked around the place, only to find the red-haired running along the different sections in fast-speed. She tripped a bunch of times but that didn't stop her from her search. He suppressed a sigh, shaking his head in amusement. Cecil remembered those kinds of people are called in Japan: ninjas.

This is going to be a long day, the prince of Agnapolis decided.

They went out of the music store surprisingly empty-handed. Buying a piano is obviously impossible because of its weight, so it was out of Haruka's 'what-to-buy-in-Agnapolis' list. What remained was easy to carry instruments such as guitars, flute, and other things. Because the instruments were all well-made and well-tuned, the composer had a hard time choosing which instrument she should buy. At last, she finally chose an instrument; it was a white acoustic guitar. The wood used for it was beautiful, it was also light and easy to carry so it was no doubt this was what she chose. But as they were about to go to the counter and pay for it, Haruka stopped walking. Cecil asked what was wrong, Haruka said that it doesn't seemed 'fair'. The brunet asked what she meant by that, she explained that it wouldn't be fair for the other instruments if she bought this guitar. She picked this guitar not because it was best among all of the items in the store, she didn't want the other instruments to feel 'inferior' to this guitar and hurt their 'feelings' so she decided to return it back to its container.

Even if Cecil was a music-enthusiast himself, he thought Haruka was just odd.

Next stop, the local boutiques.

Even if Haruka wasn't a shopaholic like her best friend Tomochika Shibuya, she admitted that buying clothes once occasionally is fun. They searched all the boutiques, though Cecil thought it was tiring he found it amusing how Haruka was modeling clothes for him. He felt pride swelling in his chest; he was so going to brag about their date today to the other members of STARISH!

They finished shopping with only a two shopping bags in hand. The brunet only noticed it now, but Haruka liked to keep her style cute but simple. Most of her clothes were pastel-colored; she rarely wears dark or eye-catching clothes unless her best friend forced her to. Her skirts and shorts weren't too short for her, keeping her modesty as much as possible. This brought out her innocence, it was almost endearing.

Cecil also learned something new about her: She was thrifty as a housewife. Even if Cecil was the one paying for her, she kept on choosing clothes that were cheap. He told her she can pick even the most expensive clothes if she liked, but she only shook her head and told him that her grandma told her to always be careful with her money. It was no excuse even if Cecil was paying for her, Grandma's teachings are always correct so she always follow them!

The brunet couldn't help but smile. She's such a grandma's girl, so cute. Cecil couldn't help but love her more than he ever did.

Next stop was the local street food stalls. And on cue, both of their stomach rumbled. They looked at each other before bursting into a fit of laughter.

You might be wondering why Cecil, the prince of Agnapolis, brought his date to something so normal as to eat in a street food stall. He was the prince; he could have brought Haruka to the greatest restaurant here! But Cecil chose this oh-so unromantic place. Here's the reason why: he heard that most travelers go to another place so that they can see and experience the normal life of the locals there. Obviously, Cecil lived in a life full of luxury; this wasn't what you consider as 'normal'. So, with the help of some crew from the castle, Cecil found out about the 'normal' life of a citizen here in Agnapolis. Actually, this was his first time eating street foods. So he himself was quite excited for this new experience.

Seeing that Haruka didn't say anything or complain about it, the prince thought his decision was correct.

"Two shawarma and two mango juices, please."

Cecil handed out his payment; the cook took the money without a word and nodded. After fixing up the shawarma and pouring their juices in a plastic cup, he passed them their order. Cecil uttered a 'thank you' and gave Haruka her share. The two went to the nearest bench and took a seat. The rosette munched on her meal without even trying to look on what was inside; it made him perplexed how carefree the girl was with food. He heard from the maids in the castle that street foods are dirty so he was advised to never eat it. But now that Cecil thinks of it, it was somehow ironic that the castle food was the one that was 'dirty' because he found out that it was the reason why his father died. True, he still had to get over that fact that his wife died. But Cecil found out that his uncle, the current king, ordered the cooks to add poison on his food.

Enough about the depressing past, he should just enjoy his food! The Agnapolis prince gave the food he was holding a curious stare, inspecting each and every ingredient in it. From the looks of it, it was a mixture of different kinds of meat and vegetables wrapped in a sandwich wrap. He took a nibble; there was the salty taste of cheese.

"This is delicious."

The two looked at each other, surprised that they said it the same time. Haruka started laughing, while Cecil looked away. It was normal for the rosette to say it, for she wasn't a local of this land. But for Cecil?

"I assume you never ate any street foods all your life?" Haruka asked, nibbling on her meal with fine grace.

Cecil nodded with a blush. "I have only eaten the food that the castle has provided me. I was told to never eat the food outside for it was dangerous…"

"… But it turns out that what was more dangerous was the food inside the castle?"

Emerald eyes widen, he was somehow surprised that Haruka was quick to get the hint. Well, it wasn't the main reason why he chose to eat here but it was one of the factors that made him go to this place instead of eating at the castle.

"You know, Cecil-san." Haruka talked, her words were understandable even while she chewed. "You were acting quite weird when we were inside the castle. Also," She drank from her cup and swallowed. "You seemed angry when you returned back to the room. Is there something wrong?"

Cecil stared at her, mouth opened and speechless. Was he that obvious or was Haruka just extremely good at sensing other people's troubles? Golden eyes stared at him, waiting for him to speak. The prince released a sigh, whispering a 'it can't be helped'. He stood up, ate his shawarma in one bite and drank from his juice. He threw it to the nearest trash can and looked at Haruka with slightly troubled eyes.

"After we're done eating, I'm going to show you somewhere."

Haruka nodded, wordlessly eating her food.

Just as Cecil promised, they immediately went somewhere after finishing their meal. They started walking and headed towards the forest, Haruka couldn't help but ask what are they doing in the here. The brunet assured her this was not the place he was about to show her, they have to pass this place before they reach their destination. The rosette nodded, slightly feeling tired.

Haruka released a heavy sigh, her legs felt like giving out! This was so tiring and it was also incredibly hot in Agnapolis, she just wanted to quit walking! As you know, Haruka was sickly as a child so you can say she brought her not so athletic qualities until she grew up. It also wasn't helping that they were still carrying the shopping bags from before. Even though it was few, it was somewhat heavy.

"C-cecil-san," The rosette huffed breathlessly. "A-are we there yet?"

The prince chuckled. "Just a little more, Haruka. Hang in there."

After a few more steps (which felt like damn miles for her), the rosette heard a familiar sound. She immediately stopped walking, ears straining to her it properly. It… was the sound of water crashing against each other. Waves, to be exact. Golden eyes widen at the realization, a squeal escaped from her lips.

"We're going to the sea?" Haruka looked at him giddily like a child.

Cecil nodded.

The excitement drained out from her system when she realized something.

"Hey, Ceci-san. Aren't you afraid of water?"

The prince blinked a few times, before chuckling at her question.

"Yes, I am. But the sea of Agnapolis had a spot in my heart so I can say… this one is special so I'm not scared of it."

The rosette nodded slowly, barely understanding his reasoning but okay. Cecil only smiled. Suddenly, her exhaustion faded away. She ran straight forward, as if she knew where the way was. The Agnapolis prince laughed, running after her. Soon, the smell of salt was evident. Haruka stopped from her locomotion, eyes staring at the white beach in front of her. Behind her, she heard Cecil talking.

"Agnapolis might not be well-known for having great tourist spots, but I can proudly say that our beaches are one of the best in the world."

Haruka nodded. Yes, she got to admit. This was the greatest beach her eyes ever set upon. The sand was pure white; she didn't see any hint of stray trashes anywhere. The cool ocean breeze felt nice to their skin, the rosette no longer felt as if she was about to overheat. The waves were really great, but not overwhelming that it was scary to take a swim. Quite the opposite really, it made Haruka want to surf or something. Sadly, she didn't buy any swimsuit back there but the khaki shorts and the white tourist short they bought can be a good replacement…

As if reading her thoughts, Cecil asked.

"Would you like to take a swim?"

To the brunet's surprise, Haruka shook her head.

"Maybe later…"

She turned around, looking for something. He was about to ask what she was doing when she pointed at a tall palm tree nearby, she went under its shade and sat down. Golden eyes looked at him kindly, hands patting on the ground next to her.

"For now…" Cecil did as he was told, sitting right to the rosette. "Didn't you bring me here so that we can talk properly?"

Emerald eyes wide, Haruka's childish enthusiasm from a while ago made him forget their purpose for going here! He sighed, eyes staring at the calm sea before them. The rosette imitated his actions, wordlessly admiring the scene before her. No one spoke for a while; they decided to enjoy the serenity of the place before going to the problematic bits of their trip. Heck, this was supposed to be a date/vacation! But somehow, all it brought to Cecil was stress, which in return, made Haruka worried about him. After making another stressful sigh, Cecil talked.

"Where should I start?"

Haruka shrugged, closing her eyes when a strong wind blew. "Wherever you find fitting."

The brunet nodded.

"Okay, I guess let me start from the beginning of the beginnings?" Cecil laughed awkwardly, seeing that the rosette didn't even react, he continued. "You might be wondering why I decided to have our date in Agnapolis rather than Tokyo."

Haruka nodded, urging him to continue.

"Well, just yesterday, I received a message from the king of Agnapolis. I was ordered to come here because 'I was needed by my country'. Of course, as the prince of Agnapolis, it is my duty to find and solve its problems. And the day after that, which is today, is our date. I thought it would be a great idea to bring you here in Agnapolis so that you can experience the life I had here and it would be easier for me to come here as early as possible so that I can know what troubled my country. You know the saying, 'hitting two birds with one stone'?"

Haruka had her eyebrows furrowed, it seemed like Cecil said something wrong while he was explaining. She sighed, resting her chin on her kneecaps.

"It seemed like your idea with today's meeting seemed like a decision without a second thought and you just dragged me here just because I would be out of your problem list and just because you can."

Cecil shook his head in denial, face flustered in embarrassment. Yes, he thought that it may have looked like that. But he was already planning to bring her to Agnapolis a long time ago; this day just seemed like the perfect time so he thought Haruka wouldn't mind. Haruka laughed light-heartedly, it seemed like she was only messing with him.

"Don't worry, I'm not mad. I know that your duties are important so you have to prioritize them." Cecil opened his mouth to protest, but Haruka already had a counter on what he was going to say. "Yes, Cecil-san. I know you don't want me to feel like I'm just a second priority. But I don't really mind." She paused, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear. "I actually admire you for being so responsible to your country; it amazes me how you managed to be an idol and also a ruler at the same time."

Cecil blushed, scratching the side of his face with a cute giggle. The rosette chuckled; his expression was childish but adorable as ever. She made a hand sign, telling him to continue. Cecil nodded and proceeded.

"Remember a while ago, when a guard came to your room and told me to go to uncle's throne?"

Haruka nodded and added. "And you returned with a sullen expression."

Cecil sighed and looked down on his knees. He rested his on the sandy ground and started drawing random patterns. Haruka guessed that something bad happened there.

"The king… told me that the power of Agnapolis has been weakening. It seemed that the Muse did not like his leadership and so the power of music in Agnapolis has dramatically failed. Our instruments makers have been creating their specialty with less quality and they easily break because the Muse refused to bless their works. And because of that, we can only export a few of our country's main product… which in return made the economy of Agnapolis fell…"

"It's like a chain-reaction." Haruka noted.

Cecil nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's the exact term that I was looking for. And so now… the royal advisers told him that only I, the true heir of the throne, can please the Muse and return Agnapolis to its former beauty. So I…"

There was a long pause; Haruka looked at the brunet to see what was wrong. To her surprise, he was biting his lips. There was a bitter look on his face, like he himself did not want to admit it.

"Remember the contract I had when I returned back from Agnapolis two years ago, that I was finally allowed to be an idol by my kingdom? It was somehow revoked."

No, Haruka wanted to scream. But she couldn't. She knew where this conversation was going, but she refused to accept it. She had the urge to cover her ears or just stand up and tell Cecil that she accepted his offer to take a swim on the sea. Anything, anything but this! But even if she didn't want to hear it, he continued.

"I… might take a break from the industry for a while so that I can return and stabilize my country."

Haruka gasped, staring at the prince with wide golden eyes. She opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. No, this can't be…! Cecil's going to leave the agency just because his uncle told him to?! This… this is unbelievable!

"Of course, I still do feel resentment for my uncle." The brunet said, as if he read her mind. "He turned me into a cat, after all. But I'm not doing it for him. I'm going to take care of my country for my parents and for the people of Agnapolis."

Tears welled-up from her eyes, hands gripping on the sandy ground. Cecil turned and faced her, leaning a bit forward and smiled. It wasn't a forced smile, it was just… sad.

"Didn't you just say a few minutes ago? That you admire me for managing my time as an idol and also a ruler? I'm sorry, Haruka. But it seemed that I can't do it. I apologize for wasting your admiration."

Haruka could not restrain herself; she jumped at him and trapped him in an embrace. She buried her face on his lean chest, dampening his skin with her tears.

"Don't go, Cecil-san!" She pleaded. "STARISH wouldn't be the same once you leave! It would be like before… We created songs, but we didn't bring out its true potential because you weren't there! So please Cecil, don't… don't leave us!"

Cecil wrapped his arms around her, using his other hand to pat her on the head. The rosette continued sobbing, the grip on his robe only tightened.

"I'm not going to leave you or STARISH." He assured in a soothing tone. "I'm just going to take a short hiatus to take care of things and once it's done, I will return."

Moist topaz orbs peered up, nose slightly red.

"You promise?" She hiccupped.

He chuckled and kissed her on the forehead.

"I promise."

"When and how long…?"

After being silent for so long, it was surprising to hear her talk. They returned back to their previous position and were tuck-sitting right next to each other. After telling her the revelation, Haruka didn't look as happy as when she first arrived. Of course she would, one of her closest friends/admirers was about to leave her! He asked her if she wanted to swim now but she replied she didn't feel like doing anything anymore.

Cecil didn't expect this reaction from her. Well, she thought she'd be sad and all but would still manage to smile at him and tell him to 'do his best' or something encouraging like that. But no, here she was sulking and devoid of life. She even begged him not to go. Somehow Cecil always thought Haruka was the understanding type, he thought that telling her this wouldn't be a problem because she'll just accept it because there's no point arguing on it. But seeing her reaction now, it pained his heart. It also made him feel bad for thinking that Haruka would be so… immature? Cecil doesn't know the right word really, heck just this reaction from her puzzled him to more extent!

I guess, Haruka was more 'human' than I thought.

"I actually don't know the answer to both your questions." Cecil replied to her question honestly. "All I know that it is still not now and by how long I think you meant 'how long will I stay here?', am I correct?"

Haruka nodded slowly.

"Hm… I think… until we manage to stabilize the economy of Agnapolis, maybe?"

There was silence again. If it was possible, Haruka's mood became even worse. Even Cecil couldn't help but sigh; he knew that it will take more than a year before he can even see a slight improvement at this state.

"'Rome wasn't built in a day', huh?" The rosette muttered the English idiom out loud. Cecil couldn't agree more.

Again, they continued with the awkward silence. If it weren't for the waves at the background, their silence would have been deafening. But it couldn't be helped; it was such a shock for Haruka that she can't even think of anything to say except about the things that concerned Cecil's departure.

She blinked. But there was one thing that Haruka was meaning to since they got out of the castle. She just noticed it out of the blue, but this made her curious somehow.

"I just realized something, Cecil-san."

"And that is?"

"The people of Agnapolis were surprisingly… normal when they talked to you."

Emerald eyes widen, the prince gaped at her with a very weird expression on his. Haruka panicked when realized that what she said might be somehow offending to him. She cleared her throat and started explaining at fast speed.

"I mean, shouldn't they have shown um… special treatment to you when you bought at their store or… or they should've bowed or made some respectful gesture when they saw you or something like that. But instead, they talked to you like you're like any person here in Agnapolis and not a royal."

She inhaled deeply, almost breathless because she said it in one go. She returned her gaze back to the prince and was surprised to see that he was emitting dark purple aura, face looking depressed. But he quickly got his composure back, forcing a laugh and wiped the sweat drop of his face.

"Ah… yes. I thought you wouldn't notice it, Haruka. Haha…ha." Cecil's shoulders slumped down, the rosette felt guilty.

"A-ah-I'm sorry, Cecil-saaaaaan!" Haruka squeaked nervously. "I didn't mean to say something bad or—"

"Actually," The rosette stopped talking when Cecil interrupted. For some reason, his voice was calm but… sad? "It was the king's fault."

Haruka couldn't say anything but make a soft 'eh?'. Cecil sighed, once again staring at the ocean with a sad look on his face. He explained that after he was turned into a cat and was thrown to Japan, the people started looking for him and was bothered with his sudden disappearance. The people had speculations that it was the brother of the former king—Cecil's uncle, also the current king—fault. It was well-known in the country that he did not approve the union of his brother with a foreign woman, and now that mixed-blood prince would take the throne. It was already a good reason for them to suspect them, which is actually the truth. With the help of Cecil's other relatives that hated him because of his mix-blood, they managed to erase Cecil's 'existence' from the people of Agnapolis using magic.

"But did you notice that the people from the castle seemed to remember me?" Cecil asked.

Now that Haruka thought of it, the maid mentioned his name while talking to him. And also the guard. Seeing the expression on Haruka's face, he assumed that she understood where he was going.

"Because I lived in the castle all my life, I left my 'mark' there. Their magic couldn't erase my existence from our servants' minds. And the hall of paintings didn't help because even if they tried to recast the spell again and again, they would see our family painting hanging there."

Haruka gritted her teeth, her hands forming a fist. Even if she has yet to meet Cecil's uncle, there was already a forming resentment for him in her heart. She thought that he was a very evil and selfish man! How could he be so evil as so turn his own nephew into a cat just so he can take the throne? And their reason for it: they didn't like the fact the Cecil was half-Japanese. And the fact that his other relatives helped on overthrowing the poor prince… How racist could they get?!

"And yet you chose return to this land," Haruka whispered angrily. "You would serve under the king that disowned you and you would work for the people that didn't even know you existed?!"

"Haruka…" Cecil frowned. "It is not their fault that they were subjected to magic… of course they would forget—"

"Even so!" Haruka insisted, tears were back and streaming out of her eyes. "If they truly cared for you they wouldn't have forgotten you so easily! They—"

"Haruka…"

The rosette stopped upon hearing the warning tone in his voice. She looked at him and saw the disapproving frown he was giving her. She immediately regretted what she said.

"You know that I love you so much Haruka. But that love isn't enough for me to not get angry at you if you continue to speak ill against my country."

Haruka turned to face Cecil and sat seiza-style. She bowed head low and apologized.

"I'm sorry, Cecil-san. I didn't mean to say such things. I just…" The rosette looked up, revealing her teary eyes. The prince quickly felt his anger go away. "… Don't want you to go."

Cecil smiled sadly, pulling her once more and trapping her in his arms. Haruka didn't say anything; she just continued crying softly. He ran his hand along her soft locks, eyes staring at the small form so close to him.

"I'm actually… happy that I was turned into a cat."

The rosette immediately pulled away from his embrace, looking at him with an expression that clearly said 'Are you okay?'. The brunet couldn't help but chuckle, this made Haruka wonder if he was just messing with her to lighten up the mood.

"Because you know... If I weren't turned into a cat, then I wouldn't have the chance to meet you."

Her heart started beating fast; a blush crept on her pale skin. Haruka continued to stare at him, unable to move after hearing such things. The prince continued to smile kindly at her, showing how serious he was when he said it.

"When I was young, I would pray to the Muse that I want to meet a wonderful woman like my mother. After many years, I completely forgot about it. But it seemed that the Muse didn't. When I became a cat, I totally lost hope in life. But when you picked me up during that one morning and you brought me back to your dorm, I thought 'Ah, she must be the one!'."

"'She must be the one?" Haruka repeated. "What do you mean? The one that will break the curse or…"

"The one that would break the curse and the one that the Muse chose for me."

If the rosette was a little pink a few minutes ago, now she turned into crimson. Cecil was amused to see the different shades of red from her. To his surprise, Haruka opened her lips and whispered something. It took him a moment to process what she said for she said in a really small voice, but he couldn't help but smile in agreement.

"It was fate that brought me to you."

He patted her on the head, before lowering his hand to cup her face. Haruka blinked at him shyly, face devoid of any emotions except embarrassment.

"Yes, and it will be fate that will bring me back."

It seemed that the rosette completely forgot that he was leaving after hearing his words, but now that he brought it up once more, she sighed deeply with a depressive look on her face. Cecil was getting frustrated because Haruka was ridiculously bipolar today.

"Haruka, don't make such face. Please don't look like that. It pains me to know that I am the reason for it, so please don't." Cecil said, patting her head.

Haruka nodded, tears welling up in her eyes when she forced a smile. The brunet chuckled and whispered 'good girl' again and again. When Haruka finally calmed down with no traces if crying, the prince released a sigh.

"We will meet again in the future, someday."

Haruka continued to stare at him with those wide golden eyes. He saw the doubt in her eyes, the question asking 'when is 'someday'? But she didn't say anything; instead she only nodded and smiled. It was no longer the forced smile, but the smile that said 'I believe you'.

"Then I'll be waiting for you."

Cecil smiled, leaning closer to her face. He remembered that whenever he did this, the other members of STARISH would block him. Now that they were alone, he wondered if he can steal another kiss in one day.

But to his surprise, Haruka was the one who initiated the kiss. Emerald eyes widen, Cecil started panicking. Haruka pulled away after a few more seconds, the brunet was dumbstruck. It was the norm for Cecil to be the one to make the composer flustered, but for her to do such things…? She couldn't help but giggle at his reaction.

"Promise me that while you're gone," Haruka spoke with a calm voice. "You'll still be watching me."

Cecil smiled.

"Don't worry, my Princess. I was born to be your guardian."

tsukikage no Sea watatte oide (Crossing over the moonlit sea,)
sono te ni ima ai ga mezameru kara (Now in these hands, love is awakening)

towa o utau shiosai no koe(I sing of eternity in the voice of the sea's roar)
zutto ANATA sagashi tsudzuketeta (I've always been searching for you)

meguri au unmei o daite (I embrace this fated meeting)
kono sekaijuu kara ai no uta o atsume (I gather love songs from around this world)
sono kokoro sono yume e tsugeyou (I'll inform that heart and that dream)
WATASHI wa tada ANATA no tame (I was born only for you)
umareta "mamoribito" to (To be your "guardian")

madoromi no Veil matou hanayome (A bride clad in a slumbering veil)
kioku no sora hane o kazashi ikou (In the sky of memories, let's hold these feathers aloft)

haruka mirai mata deau darou (We'll probably meet again in the distant future)
owari no nai yume ga tsutau kara (Because this dream will we follow this endless dream)

ikusen no bara yori mo saite (You're blossoming even more than thousands of roses)
ikuman no hoshi no uta yori kirameite (You're shining more than the songs of tens of thousands of stars)

utsukushii ANATA e to chikaou (I swear to you, my lovely)
hidamari no you shinjitsu o sotto (Like the sun's warmth, the truth will gently)
terashi tsudzukute yuku to (Continue to shine on you)

haha naru ginga e to toumei na fune ukabe tabi e deyou (Floating in a transparent ship, let's travel to the mother galaxy)

Nanami Haruka released a sigh, rubbing her temples impatiently. Saotome was demanding her to make another song, but he did not specify which STARISH member would sing it. She wondered if the president forgot to tell her such important detail or if she wasn't the one who wasn't listening carefully.

"Mou!" She grumbled, burying her face on the stuck of paper on her desk. "He might scold me if I asked him again…"

She tiled her head a little, allowing her muscles to stretch a little. She yawned, rubbing the back of her head lazily. She didn't leave her apartment for almost a week now and she hasn't contacted anyone from the agency. Usually, one or two members of STARISH would barge in her room and check if she was still alive. Haruka told them that they didn't need to worry about her for she would be alright. But one incident that led her to stay in the hospital for two weeks contradicted so.

She stood up and stretched her arms, walking to her kitchen to get a carton of milk. She drank it in one gulp, only did it occur to her now that she was thirsty as hell. She checked on her ref to see if there was any food available, but all that greeted her was the cold air emitting from the machine. A demonic sound came from her stomach; the composer sighed and returned back to her work desk.

Once she sat down, all that came to her mind was how hungry she was. And on cue, her stomach grumbled one more. She groaned, burying her face on her desk. When was the last time she ate something good…?

Haruka scanned her room to see if she had some left over candy or something. Anything at all. But sadly, to no avail. She returned her gaze back to her desk, sighing once more for the nth time of the day. On the left side of the desk stood a small picture frame that had the picture of STARISH posing after they finished recording one of their songs. All of them looked so happy, it made her wonder how long has it been since this picture was taken.

Golden eyes darkened when she saw a familiar brunet smiling at her. Cecil was still here so… it was probably taken a long time ago. Now that she thought of it, how long has it been since he left? Haruka was there in the airport before Cecil left. He kissed her farewell, shocking STARISH they almost fainted. He told her he would be back, he doesn't know when but he knows it was soon.

Haruka believed in him.

Before she knew it, days, weeks, months, years have passed. It only occurred to the rosette that 'soon' was actually a long time, she always thought that 'soon' meant immediately or shortly. But she guessed that she was the one who's wrong. Because Cecil didn't break his promises.

Never.

Ding-dong. Her doorbell rang.

She sighed, it must be Tokiya or Masato. Why did she think it was those two, because they're the only one that's sane enough to ring the bell instead to knock the door. She was about to stand up when a thought passed her mind.

It must be Cecil-san.

Haruka immediately shook her head. This was real life. People that's missing for Kami-sama knows how long just don't knock at your door just because you're thinking of them. This isn't a book, a movie, nor an anime.

Get real.

Haruka fixed herself before she went to get the door. Before she even opened it, she smelled a very familiar aroma. It was… food. Not like any normal food, it was a something that brought memories to her. It somehow surprised her how she could still remember its smell after so many years. But she can't pinpoint when and where she ate it.

The rosette opened the door and saw a plastic bag. She blinked blankly before sitting down to open it, revealing that Arabian food that was consist of meat and vegetables wrapped in sandwich wrap.

"Shawarma…" Haruka muttered out loud.

There were at least five of them, she wondered if it was enough to satisfy her hunger. She gulped the forming saliva in her mouth and decided to search if there were still anything else in the plastic. And indeed there was! It was a mango juice in a bottle, it was still cold. She rummaged around the plastic some more when she found a letter. It was slightly crumpled so the ink got smudged a little. She squinted her eyes and tried to decipher it.

I'm back

'Eternity Love'

Chapter 7:

Friday:Date with Aijima Cecil

Author's Notes: Lyrics and translation came from Silvermoon249's livejournal.